New York Pays $7.4 Billion in Virus-Related Jobless Benefits (1)

New York state has paid out about $7.4 billion in unemployment benefits since the start of the coronavirus outbreak, including aid to independent contractors and gig workers, state officials said.

The state to date has processed 1.8 million claims since the pandemic began in March, Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa said Wednesday at the governor’s daily virus briefing. A total of 1.7 million people have been paid to date, according to the state labor department. Not all who apply for benefits are eligible.

After a rocky start, the state has now processed about 330,000 pandemic unemployment assistance claims, ...